Whiffletree



(No Model.) I

J. H. BARNES 8?; S. O. KEITH.

WHIPPLETREE HOOK. No. 389,432. Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

I A 9%mmmmmmmmm WITNESSES IJV VEJV'TOR Jflfiarw W, 7 I a JZWZ wk lfi yw I UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

JOHN H. BARNES AND SIMEON O. KEITH, OF GREENGASTLE, INDIANA.

WHIFFLETREE HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,432, dated September 11, 1888.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN H. BARNES and SrMnoN G. KEITH, citizens of the United States, and residents of Greencastle, in the county of Pntman and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whiffletree-Hooks; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of this invention and is a top view. Fig. 2 is a bottom view. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

The invention relates to improvements in whiffletree-hooks; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

The object of the invention is to provide a whiflletree-hook the outer or hook end of which is retained in a longitudinal position by means of aspring, so thatit is always in proper shape to receive the eye of the trace, and after the traceeye shall have been placed thereon the hook is easily turned upward to lock the traces.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the threaded tang which screws into the end of the whiffletree. B and O is the neck portion upon which the trace-eye is placed. The annular shoulder a abuts against the end of the whittletree, and the flattened portion 1) at the outer end of the neck is bifurcated, and the shank c of the flattened and pointed head or hook D is pivoted therein.

E is aflat steel spring having its beveled end, d, inserted in the opening c through the shoulder portion a. The outer portion of the spring E rests in the channel fin the neck and extends and bears upon the shank c, which has its lower plane on a level with the bottom of the channel f. The spring is preferably not fastened within the opening a, so that should it become broken it can be easily replaced by a new spring; and as the spring rests in the channel, with its outer edge flush with the plane of the neck and head, no pressure is brought thereon by the trace. The outer end of the flattened portion 1) is slightly rounded upward, so that the head canbc turned upwardly on its pivot.

Having described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In a whiilletreehook, the combination, with the threaded tang having the shoulderand the bifurcated flattened portion, of the flat spring having the beveled end reniovably inserted in the openings 6 through the shoulder a, the channel f, and the flattened and pointed head D, having the shank pivoted within the bifurcation, substantially as specified.

2. The whilfletree-hook consisting of the tang, the annular shoulder having the opening 6, the neck portion having the channel, the bifurcated end, the flattened and pointed head having the shank pivoted therein, and the re movable flat spring provided with the wedgeshaped end inserted in the opening 0 and its outer portion resting in the channel and hearing upon the shank, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof we affix on r signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. BARNES. SIMEON KEITH. \Vitnesses:

J AMEs BENNETT, \VILLIAM D. JoNEs. 

